From A Z the merder way
by lm25pc
Summary: A series of one shots, short stories, and drabbles that outline the A Z of Meredith and Derek. Totaly merder. I think I am going to have to change the rating to M after the next chapter.. so if you can't find this it's just gone to M
1. Chapter 1

**AN:**

**Ok, so I have written 10 or so drabbles/one shots and maybe 1 or 2 couple of chapter things. **

**All MerDer. Cause I am kind obsessed.**

**And I never post them. Cause I can't get them perfect enough to stand on their own. I read too much fanfic & get overwhelmed by how good **_**some**_** of it is.**

**So my Meredith & Derek stay in my head & I have to get them out.**

**So this is my purging to see if I release them if they will release me a little.**

**And to check, to see if my writing is ok. Hopefully not as bad as I think, but definitely not as good as I want.**

**So this is the A – Z of Meredith & Derek. A series of Drabbles, one shots & a couple of short stories.**

**I'd love to know what people think, and to give me the impetus to see it through. All the letters have subjects & ideas, just not all written yet.**

**Thanks for reading**

**Redgrey**

**PS – It's pretty much in Canon. From 3.20 onwards. If something major happens on TV while I am writing it, that really effects it I might change some chapters. I don't' like writing AU**

**PPS – Just a note on MY Meredith. She is in canon, she is dark & twisty, but she is not SUICIDAL and never was. It was a pause guys, a second in a stupid place, fair enough, but just a second. Bloody Derek paused for SEVEN months!**


	2. A

A 

**Addison, Absence, Avoidance, Adultery, Alex**

If Addison hadn't existed, hadn't been an adulterer they may never have met.

So Meredith figures she should be grateful for Addison. But honestly she doesn't normally think about her enough these days to get that far.

In the early days when Addison was still here and just after she left, the ghost of her still laid in their bed with them. But she has faded over the years.

All that she has left is a legacy. Of the opportunity of a chance encounter in a bar to happen at all.

And she is responsible for at least one of the three rules they base their relationship. They aren't really rules people, but after all the early angst, they knew they needed some boundaries.

From Meredith – Avoidance. There will be no avoidance. Not of the major things. And Derek is to call her on it when (not if, they are realists) when it happens.

From Derek – Absence. There will be no absences. They can yell, they can fight. But they show up, they pay attention to each other.

From Addison – Adultery. There will be on adultery. No excuses. Just No. Not ever. If the avoidance and absence rules have been broken, they will find different means to get the others attention.

So they were the rules they made when they were new (well new for the third time, after the choosing and the dying). For the most part they kept the first two. The last one was almost laughable. When would they have the time? Even if they ever had the inclination, they were mostly either working or tearing each others clothes off.

Time passes.

Attention drifts.

They are still together. If you ask them, of course they still love each other, there is no hesitation. They are busy focused. It hasn't taken 9 years this time, only a few.

Alex is having dinner with her again. Of all her intern family, he is the only still single one. He fills a gap. A friend to talk to, a companion to eat with. She isn't aware, not yet, that she fills a gap for him to. She fills the gap where his heart should be. Dinner is over, he is helping her clear up. She is relaxed, warm from the fire the food the wine, from Alex. For the first time today, no for the first time this week, she hasn't dwelt in her mind about her husband's absence. As she rinses their wine glasses under the running tap, the light flickers off her rings. He hands her the plates. As she reaches for them, for the first time she notices how close he is standing behind her. She can feel his breath on the back of her neck. The frission of it making the tiny hairs at the base of her pony tail stand on end. Alex isn't absent, Alex's attention is here now on her. She drops the plates into the water and turns. His hands are either side of her slight body, trapping her between the sink and his sold warm chest. He moans her name, low and husky "Meredith". She looks up into his eyes and see's everything a girl needs. Lust, longing, love. He reaches up and cups her chin, tilting her face to meet the angle of his hard masculine mouth bearing down, looking for home in her soft pliant lips. She places her small hands on his chest and shoves hard. For tiny, ineffectual fists they pack a push. Alex stumbles backwards. "No, Not Ever".

She is up in their bedroom, tearing her clothes off. She only stops when she is totally naked. She crosses to the closet and pulls out her good coat slipping it over her small shaking body. She tugs on the first pair of shoes she can find. Heels, perfect, how Addison like. She smiles to herself as she thinks of her husbands ex wife for the first time in months. Thanks god for Addison and her lesson.

Her heels clack loudly on the tiled floor of the hospital, her coat swishes tickling her bare calves as she walks. She doesn't knock or pause at his door, she turns the handle and strides in. Derek looks up from his paperwork. He is happy to see her, unsure why she is here. Her face is flushed her hair tousled. His stomach starts to churn, he realises in that second how much he misses her.

"Meredith, what's wrong?"

"I'm showing up, I'm done avoiding, you've finished being absent" she stares at him, daring him to feign ignorance to challenge her.

"Meredith, I'm sorry.."

"Shut up.." She strides across the room, spins his chair away from the desk and stands between his legs.

"love me, pay attention to me, screw me" she pants as she whips the belt from her coat allowing to fall to the floor.

Derek stares at his stunning, sexy, brave wife standing in front of him. He turns from her, causing her to start to shake a little again. With one strong long sweep of his forearm, he wipes everything from the top of his desk. Admits the sounds of breaking glass and flying papers her turns grab his wife and lifts her to the desk. As his lips crash down on hers and they begin the dance to ecstasy they are so good at.

No Addison, No Alex, No Absences, No Avoidance, No Adultery. No, Not Ever.

**AN: Phew so I finally posted. I am not 100 happy with this yet, but if I don't start I will never get these out of my head. Would love a review or two to see what people think "please" (wiggles shoulders) "please"**


	3. B

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's but it just might own me B 

**Breathe**

_**Annoying**_ - Apparently everyone needs to do it, but why in my house, yes I said they could live here.. but ugghhh.

_They share food, and they say things, and they move things, and they breathe._

_**Fresh**_ – He doesn't need the mints, he smells and tastes divine, even through my tequila and his scotch breath. I could taste and smell him days later. I can still taste his breath from the elevator, seriously, what was I thinking, what was that about? Anwyay, he doesn't need the mints, but I'm not telling him that, he already has an ego the size of Manhattan. Mind you maybe he should make sure the wallet is stocked.

Is it going to happen again? 'Cause if it is, I need to bring breath mints. Cliches I'm not really a cliché kind of girl, but sometimes they just fit. Some though are just dumb. I mean how do you "take my breath away" like that stupid 80's song goes on about? What do they mean? That you kill someone cause they stop breathing. How is that a romantic thing? Ok so cynical, sue me. But maybe, maybe it is a good thing, maybe it's a figurative thing. Oh well, being the girl least likely to ever fall totally in love, I figure, figuratively or literally, it's not something I have to worry about. 

See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you , and once in a while people may even take your breath away.

_**Suffocating**_ I always figured you needed something covering you to suffocate. I had no idea you could be smothered, completely unable to breathe, by someone's eyes. Blue, piercing eyes. Mesmerising, but honestly even those eyes, even his eyes, shouldn't be able to suffocate you should they?

_I can't __**breathe**__ with you looking at me like that so just stop! ___

_**Not enough**_ It was just a pause, just a second. Stupid place to do it I know, I know. But not this, this is not what I want or wanted. I need to do this for him, for us, for me. A whiff would never ever ever be enough.

They are barely breathing. This will break them. None of them deserves that. And this...this is the big one. See pay attention! Do you know what kind of miracle it is that Derek is who he is? Do you know how rare it is that someone like even exists. He's still an optimist. He still believes in true love and magic and soul mates. He's waiting for you and if you don't come back from this, you will change who he is.

**Life**

"Breathe, baby, Breathe"

"Meredith, you need to breathe"

"Come on baby, breathe, you can, in out, in out"

"arrr ouch"

"I know you are in pain Meredith, but remember you need to breathe, in "

"SHUT UP DEREK"

"Ok, baby see, you got through another one, not many more to go, right" you ask looking for confirmation from the midwife

"Derek you DO NOT get to say ouch"

"I know, I know, but for little hands you sure can squeeze tight"

"Well you know what else is little about me, that you usually seem so happy and smug with?"

Derek raises an eyebrow

"Well currently I am trying to squeeze a watermelon out that, and it fucking hurts, and it's probably cause it's got your stupid hair… AWWWWW"

Derek bites his bottom lip to refrain from **ouching** as his tiny wife squeezes his hand again. He is glad that no one here is commenting on the potential damage to his 3 million a year hands.

"Breathe baby, breathe"

"DO NOT call me BABY"

"Meredith, you have to breathe, if you don't breathe through them you can't push"

The Midwife intervenes "now would be a good time to push Meredith"

"Ok ba.. Meredith, push & breathe, breathe"

Much breathing and squeezing and swearing and pushing later, the midwife exclaims

"Ok, here comes the head, one last big breath and push and the baby will be out"

Meredith stares into Derek's eyes, fatigue, pain, tiredness, are abundant but a small flicker of adoration still remains. He holds both her hands and makes no whimper as she cuts off all circulation to his fingers. They continue to stare into each other's eyes as she heavily exhales one last exhausted breath and bears down to push with what little strength she has left.

She feels a burning sensation, shafting through the intense heavy consistent pain she has been in for hours. Then a shift, a slip and some relief.

The midwife pulls the baby by it's shoulders and holds the baby up for the parent's to see.

The baby is covered in white vernix, red blood and tinged blue.

Everyone in the room, apart from the baby, has a medical degree.

Within a second everyone, parent's included are shouting

"BREATHE", "suction", "BREATHE", "call the Dr"

Meredith cannot see her baby anymore through the throng of medical people surrounding it. She whimpers into Derek's t-shirt "breathe please breathe"

Time drags, in their heads it stands still, on the clock it has been one, two minutes. The hive of medical activity around the baby continues. Derek takes hope from that. Stillness from them would be a disaster.

A ear splitting wail rents the air. It is the sweetest sound in the world.

Meredith and Derek sigh their held breaths.

The midwife returns with a still bloody and vernix covered baby, pink and rosy & swaddled roughly.

She smiles and places it in it's mothers arms.

Meredith and Derek stare at the baby, and then each other, love and adoration all that is left.

"Breathe, baby, breathe"


	4. C

Chief Chief of Surgery - Richard Webber Aug 2000 – Sept 2008 

His wife had left.

Addison left, Mark left.

Derek and Preston were in damage control.

He didn't want some black scrub-wearing stranger coming in and tweaking HIS hospital.

Damm fools, what was a man to do.

Miranda was five years off being ready, and then their was her children, she had said not until her youngest was in school, then patted her belly. So he supposed she was pregnant again.

So he did what knew well, a trait he wished he didn't have, but had demonstrated over and over in his personal life and career. He went back on his word, un-tendered his resignation to the board.

He'd wait see if one of his boys could get it together, overcome this year. Maybe Derek and Meredith would be tougher than he gave them credit for. Maybe Preston would learn from his mistake and learn some humility and openness as a leader. Mind you it would be a bit of a pain if they both pull it off, then he'd have to bloody chose again. If neither of them could, well maybe he'd have to lean on Miranda a bit, he could do five, but not ten years.

_**Joint Chiefs of Surgery – Derek Shepherd, Preston Burke Sept 2008 – March 2010**_

Compromise, cooperation.

Well who would have thought.

But it worked, well for a while.

It was their idea. Well maybe those women of theirs suggested it. But they mulled over it, formulated the plan, convinced the Chief and took it to the board.

Two attendings, married to two residents. Which everyone could swallow better than two attendings screwing two interns, it was also a lot more palatable when marriages were only between them and the days of mistressing behind them.

Two highly regarded, amazingly skilled surgeons. In the end they got everyone to focus on that angle. On their competency and skills, on their natural leadership ability. Which, ok they could agree had temporality gone missing in that crazy year of THE interns. Stability in their private lives had returned them to their rightful place as those to be looked up to. Even Bailey was re-inspired, not that she was ever letting on to them, they could be too damn arroganty and "leany" for her liking anyway.

Anyway, once the messy private lives and lapses in judgement were forgiven and forgotten. Once their hoops were jumped. They seemed naturals for the role again. But both men had come to acknowledge the high price that may be paid for the role. The impact on their personal lives, the reduction in the thrilling adrenal pumpoing surgery time, the additional paperwork. None of that was appealing. But the power, ah the power, they could smell it.

So they were conundrummed . Should they, shouldn't they.

So they got a little shove, from four itsy tiny, but highly skilled little hands. Share, cooperate, jointly where whispered in their ears, softly and subtly.

But how, how would it work, who would do what? Once they were focussed on the mechanics, those women of their's stepped back, their work was done. They were highly intelligent men, they had it from here.

And so the plan was hatched, the job was shared. It was a win for all. The hospital retained the bulk of their time for income generating surgeries. They about halved the paperwork and administration between them. Residents and surgeons had unprecedented access to the Chiefs time.

And just like they say a parents love is multiplied by each child, not divided, such was the power shared.

_**Chief of surgery – Derek Shepherd, April 2010 – August 2010**_

In a bang Preston and Cristina's marriage imploded. No one saw it coming, well maybe Meredith had inklings, but like most things in their life, their disolvement was conducted privately, behind closed doors. The reasons not revealed. "no reason given"

Meredith found out sitting on her favourite stool at Joe's after her fourth Tequila and Cris's sixth wine. "was it the kids thing" Cris just shrugged, "the joint chief thing" shrug again "do you want me to pry", shrug again. Silence. "you know I just got sick of being changed, little by little, I think he did to". "Oh, ok" Meredith leans in and puts her head on Cris's shoulder. Their version of a hug. She will sympathise with her friend, but empathy fails her, for she loves the changes her relationship have wrought in her.

Derek found out as he stood in front of the OR board, hands behind his back, rocking on his heels as his joint-chief stood beside him. This was the closest to friendship he felt with the man. He had tried, their wives had tried, he even thinks Preston tried, and they were friendly, but somehow friendship eluded them. "we are getting a divorce, I have decided to leave Seattle Grace" Derek stopped rocking and turned in surprise to look at him, "I have written to the board to tender my resignation and suggest they appoint you sole chief" for once the normally loquacious floppy haired one was silent, unsure of what to say first, or next, or at all. Eventually he settled for all at once "I'm sorry, why, are you sure, when?", Preston smiled at him and his confusion and chose to answer only the last one "next week".

Derek's own letter of resignation was written a mere four months later. He had to ask his secretary to type it as his laptop had been smashed in a calculated sweep of the contents of his chief's desk a few weeks ago.

Maybe he could have had it all and made it work, he just didn't want it anymore. He was getting more than he'd ever hope for.

_**Chief of surgery – Monica Hahn July 2010 – Feb 2014**_

Competent. That's how her reign would be remembered. She enjoyed the job, but it's all it ever was. She tried to fit in, but it was hard. Even though Shepherd never really overstepped the boundaries, never forgot it was no longer his role. Still they all looked up to him and gravitated towards him. So while she enjoyed the job, she didn't love it. He had a lot of the best parts, a natural power, a natural prestige. She could have tried to dislike him, make his life hard, in the past she would have.

But despite her cold clinical exterior she too was a little secretly enamoured of the fairytale that was the Shepherd-Grey family.

Anwyay, it had been made clear to her on accepting the role, she has in it for a limited tenure. They were grooming a successor, had promised the ongoing role elsewhere.

_**Chief of Surgery – Miranda Bailey, Dec 2014 – **_

"Your late suck-ups"

"Chief you cant call us that anymore, we're either attendings or in our last year of residency"

"O'Malley did I say speak?"

"No"

"Right, I didn't think so"

"Yes Bailey"

Glare

"I mean yes Chief"

"Better"

Grey, Yang, Karev, Karev and O'Malley all look at each other and raise their eyebrows… they thought she had mellowed to them over the years, but the Nazi was back, and in charge!!

"Right now, I am looking for volunteers for the "Interns Regulation Committee" I am founding"

There was a muttering of "umm's" and "ahhs's and "busies"

"I said looking, not asking, I've looked and I've found. You lot are my Committee"

Years of ingrained training not to question her lead all of them to sit back in their chairs and simply nod.

"Right now, this is my first "tweak" as Chief, and you lot are my tweakers, understand"

Nods all around.

"Good, right you will review the current highly insufficient Intern and Residency Regulations. You will pay specific attention to the part that say "may not indulge in inappropriate behaviour""

""Inappropriate Behaviour" my foot, what a lame arse excuse of a clause, we need detail, we need rules, and we need specifics. You sorry lot are the poster children of inappropriate behaviour, so you are excellent choices to make sure we make these regulations water tight, right?"

"yes", "right", "sure thing chief", "giggle"

"Grey?"

"sorry chief, it's just you know, if you tighten it up too much you may lose excellent prospective surgeons and Dr's like us"

"exactly.. good to see you understand"

"giggle"

"GREY!"

"sorry"

"Right, now I want you to hold some workshops and brainstorm this, maybe a survey or something"

"Ok, survey, we can survey"

"Thank you Karev, but as a starting point ensure you cover: sleeping with an attending, sleeping with married members of staff , sex in on call rooms, linen closets, patients rooms, stairwells, OR's, yes Grey I do know everything, Interfering with patients equipment, relationships with patients, getting engaged to patients, giving patients names, hiding fellow surgeons injuries, keeping your baby in your husbands office instead of the daycare, appropriating banana bags for personal recovery… are you taking notes"

"um", "no", "sorry"

"well what are you sitting here staring at me for. Go Dr. And bring me the updated, detailed regulations in a week. Go"

"O'malley let go of my, what are you hugging me for"

"The Nazi's back!"


	5. D

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's but it just might own me D 

**Dogs and Dances**

It's hard to stomp meaningfully in heels and a tight long dress.

"Meredith, don't stomp"

Ahh well obviously I pulled it off well enough that he knew what I was doing.

"Meredith"

Can't hear you busy stomping

"Meredith"

"What"

"Oh.. umm"

"It's a dog Derek, just a dog, I thought we liked dogs, me, you, us"

"I do, we do, it's just.."

"Just what?"

"What if it dies?"

"What? We haven't even bought a dog yet and you are killing it already?"

"hmmmmm"

She scrunches up her nose and looks at her husband. It's new enough that even thinking that "husband" still sends small thrills down her spine. Even when she is angry. God what a girl I've turned into she thinks.

He looks at her scrunched up nose and determined chin. He sighs inside, he knows he is being silly, but it gives him goosebumps. He sees her shiver slightly and the glare in her eye soften.

The cab beeps breaking their reverie, he holds her door for her and then moves around the cab and slides in.

"If we can't even have a dog Derek, how are we ever going to deal with children"

Ahh low blow, she's bought children into it. Those negotiations are on a temporary hold, not to be reopened until after Christmas, by mutual agreement.

"Meredith" he growls

"I know, I know sorry, but Derek, we can look after a dog, surely"

"I'm not worried about us looking after the dog Meredith, we are more than capable"

"Well then, what, that we will kill it"

"Not kill it just, just that it will die"

This time the nose scrunch deepens to a frown, he has lost her... are they talking about a dog.. oh, no they aren't are they.

"Ahhhhhh" she nods smiling

"Ahhhh what"

"I see"

"See what"

He is now shifting around uncomfortable under her scrutiny in the back of the cab.

"It's the symbolism isn't it?"

"hmmm, not sure" he slumps down a little in his seat and intently watches the traffic out the window

"Derek Shepherd"

"Meredith Grey"

"Shepherd"

"What"

"Meredith Shepherd, we are out of the hospital, it's Shepherd"

"Were on the way to a hospital function"

"We are in a cab, it's Shepherd and stop trying to pick a lame argument to get out of this"

"What?"

"The symbolism whatever. The Dog, the "ohh it was a good dog" stuff"

"I have no idea what you are prattling on about"

"Ohhhh yes you do" she teases "you know the inappropriate hand touching over a dead dog with my boyfriend standing there"

"He was NOT your boyfriend" he spits indignantly

"Stop changing the subject"

"Stop bringing incorrect facts in"

They both giggle

"So you are scared to get a dog because..." she prompts him, smiling softly tocuhing his hair to convey she is done teasing.

"... because yeah, ok, if it was to die, what would that symbolise?" He looks questioningly at

her, tentative

"That the Dog was Dead?"

"Meredith"

"No seriously, sad, but dead dog means dead dog. Not dead Meredith and Derek"

"I know, I know" window gazing again

"Derek, look at me", he turns "Derek we are good yeah"

"Yeah"

"Strong"

"Yeah"

"We would survive a dog dying"

"I guess"

"Or..."

"Or...?"

"We could get a cat, no symbolism there?"

"A cat, god are you kidding, no no cat"

"Ok, fair enough, so we can get a dog" she smiles at him sweetly tossing her shoulders from side to side

He leans over to kiss her "Yes Meredith, we can get a dog"

He hates hospital social functions, always has. Mind you they are easier to bear since he has been with Meredith. Unlike Addison she feels exactly the same way he does, and is often the one to drag him out early to a bar or home, or occasionally a appropriately empty and lockable hospital room.

This one isn't so bad. There are no speeches, and there is alcohol. Meredith looks amazing in her fitted teal green dress. She is bubbly and happy after their dog decision. He reckons he has to endure an hour more before he can drag her off somewhere.

The hospital has splurge on a band tonight. He dances in public now, since that prom. But they have an unwritten rule, they only dance with each other from now on.

He watches her talking to Cris laughing and tossing her head back. This is why he accepts the dancing now, he has to wait an hour to drag her off, but with dancing he can at least hold her close now.

He walks over and drops his hand lightly to her waist. She smiles up at him, still listening to Cris. At a break in their conversation he leans down and whispers in her ear "Mrs Shepherd, will you dance with me", she turns to him smiling, "hospital, it's Dr Grey", he leans in and whispers "I can't call you Dr Grey when I'm asking you to dance". She looks at him and raises her eyebrow. He tilts his head on the side gives her a half smile (apparently according to Izzie this expression is called the McDreamy around the hospital), "Meredith, dance with me?". She giggles and her eyes light up, causing his heart to jump in delight. She grabs his hand and lets him lead her to the dance floor.

They sway to the music, you can't technically call it dancing he thinks. They don't know steps or anything.

He is surprised by a tap on the shoulder. "Dr Shepherd can I cut in?", Alex asks. They are good friends Meredith and Alex, he doesn't mind. It's just they don't dance with other people. If anyone ever asks her Meredith always declines. Even at Cris and Preston's wedding. "Alex, ahh.." he doesn't want to sound like a jerk. Meredith tugs his hand and he looks at her. "It's ok, I'd love to dance with you Alex". He is surprised but ok with it, he moves away and watches them dance (or sway, none of the Dr's are good at this stuff) to a few tracks. They chat more than they dance (or sway). They pull apart and Alex walks her back over. Meredith moves to his side and presses her small body into his, he drapes his arm around her hips.

"Thanks Derek, I've got to get going and wanted to catchup with Mer before I left"

"No worries, good to see you"

"You too, bye guys, oh and on call room 4 is empty and the lock is fixed" he winks as he leaves.

Derek looks at her questioningly. "You danced with Alex"

"I danced"

"You did"

"And we are getting a dog"

"We are"

"You wanna go?"

"Yeah, Joes, Home or.."

"Oh my heels are hurting, On Call room 4 sounds much closer"

**AN: OK, A,B,C,D are done. That's all I have for a while.. will keep writing and post when I'm done. Reviews will make me write a post faster please **


	6. E

Disclaimer: I do not own Greys, maybe it owns me though 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

E 

**Engagement Rings**

Its been thirteen years since he last shopped for an engagement ring. It's not something you really plan to do again that first time, it's certainly not something he ever will do again. Ok, not going there with the thoughts.

Then 

Now

Not nervous about the question, or the answer. It's been discussed and planned, it is expected.

Nervous. About the question and the answer. Not the love or the commitment. That has been tested too many times and stood up, it is robust. But they don't discuss this, not really, they skirt and tiptoe around it. But he wants it, he is the marrying kind, and she is his girl.. so he is willing to risk the asking. And for some reason he knows, not to discuss, not to plan. If it will happen, it just needs to become.

Nervous about the ring choice. Not that he has much say in the choice, but that he gets the selection right. He was too embarrassed to bring the horde of clippings, hints and reminders with him, but he is pretty sure he has memorised the specifications. He doesn't understand why she won't come with him to pick it out. Some charade of maintaining surprise. But he wants this, to be married, to her. If this is what she wants, then so be it. God he hopes he picks the right ring, he will never hear the end of it otherwise.

Not nervous about the ring choice. He is pretty sure that she would be happy with half of the rings in this store. It's a given that the gaudy and ostentatious are out. But the remainder. Well he figures if she is going to be happy to wear his engagement ring, she will be happy with whatever he picks out, because it from him. So, not nervous. Careful though, to get it right, to do her justice to somehow in a piece of white gold and diamond to reflect her and them, if it's possible.

He knows it when he see's it. It's the perfect amalgamation of the two clippings that have the triple exclamation marks. His nerves about the ring choice start to fade, now he just hopes it is the right price. What is it they say 2.5 month salary worth. He can't help think of the car he could buy with that, but she is worth it, right?

He knows it when he sees it. Just as he is about to give up searching for the perfect ring when he had no concept of what that perfection would be. It's simple, but not plain, shiny, but not too bright and when the assistant turns it this way and that under the light surprising reflections are caught in the unusual cut, little flashes and glimpses of sparkle and beauty that flick on and off. Subtle and flamboyant. This time he doesn't enquire about price, but as he goes to sign the receipt his brow momentarily furrows in disappointment. Surely this on should be more expensive than the last. He opens the box again to check, but despite the non-exuberant price, this is the best ring for her, right!

He hands the assistant the card she had slipped into his wallet a few months earlier, detailing her size and preferred inscription.

He digs in his pocket and pulls out a ziplock bag from where he removes a piece of wool tied in a tiny circle. It took weeks of attempts, of trickery, finally one night she fell asleep on the couch with the blanket Izzie had knitted over her knees. He had grabbed his chance. He hands it to the assistant and she smiles sweetly at him. She asks if he wants it inscribed, he nods and she hands him a pen "I've been in love with you forever" he writes.

He had to hand it to her she had great taste. The ring was stunning, it looked awesome on her hand, and it sure got noticed. It made him feel, well proud, when she received compliments. He did wonder though if she would get a cramp from carrying her hand at that angle all the time.

It fits her tiny fingers well. It looks at home on her hand. Most of the time it is unobtrusive and just pretty, then she will make a movement and the light will catch it and sparkle. It makes him happy every time he spies it on her hand. He notices she carries her tote on her left shoulder now, with her ring finger splayed across the strap.


End file.
